Wednesday: No More Death and Tears
The theory of an immortal soul, suffering forever in an ever-burning hell, contradicts the biblical teaching that in the new heaven and the new earth there will be “no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:4, NKJV). If the theory of an eternal burning hell were true, then the “second death” would not eradicate sin and sinners from the universe but only confine them in an everlasting hell of sorrow and crying. And more: in this case the universe would never be fully restored to its original perfection. But praise the Lord that the Bible paints a completely different picture!
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Read Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17, and Revelation 21:4. What comfort and hope can these passages bring us amid the trials and suffering of this present world?
Life can be very hard, unfair, cruel. Some people, so dear to us, are brutally taken away by the cold embrace of death. Or some people come subtly into our lives, steal our feelings, and then walk away as if nothing ever happened. How terrible it is to be betrayed by someone whom we loved and trusted.
There are moments when, with a broken heart, we may even wonder if life is worth living. Regardless of our sorrows, however, God is always eager to wipe away from our cheeks as many tears as possible. But some of our heaviest tears will continue streaming down until that glorious day when death, sorrow, and crying will cease to exist (Revelation 21:1-5).
We can trust that in the final judgment God will treat every single human being with fairness and love. All our loved ones who died in Christ will be raised from the dead to be with us throughout eternity. Those unworthy of eternal life will finally cease to exist, without having to live in an “unpleasant” heaven or in an ever-burning hell. Our greatest comfort derives from the fair way God treats everyone. When death definitively ceases to exist, the redeemed will shout joyfully, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55, , NRSV).
The Lord promised that in the new heaven and the new earth He would create, “the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17, NIV). This does not mean that heaven will be a place of amnesia, but rather that the past will not undermine the enduring joy of heaven.
| Who hasn’t felt the unfair ravages of human existence here? Especially in those bad times, how can we learn to trust, and to the degree possible, rejoice in God’s goodness and love? |
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We know Jesus wept on earth. And we have these references and many more that God also experiences pain in heaven right now. We read that our Maker is currently feeling acute mental pain over the suffering in the world and humanity’s misuse of freedom.
But we also know that the fruit of the Holy Spirit includes joy. And Scripture passages, like the following ones, that indicate that there is only joy in God‘s presence, because sorrow is associated with sin and there is no sin with or in God. Joy, harmony and painless being is Christ’s kingdom.
So, my wondering is along the lines of …
Is there currently sadness and pain in heaven? We know there is joy in heaven over sinners who repent (Luke 15:7) Is there sadness over those who don’t?
Will there be pain in heaven during the 1,000 years while the righteous are there reviewing records with God (pain over the lost)?
Will tears be wiped away immediately, or will it be after the 1,000 years are over and the destruction of the wicked complete, and all the “old” is made new?
If the destruction of the impenitent in the end will be the occasion for the most intense grief of God, will the grief leave Him with an eternal feeling of emptiness for every lost person? Will He wipe away the memories from us, but remember the lost Himself?
I'm not sure of the answers to your questions, but I do know one thing. When I read the quotes that you shared it brought me to the foot of Calvary. Thank you for answering my prayer which is "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5
I can't imagine Jesus anytime whether in his life on earth or currently in heaven being sad for long, because children loved to be with him. As a person who cries easily myself I have learned not do it around my children. They're much happier and so am I when I am cheerful. God bless you, sister Esther
Esther, my answers are somewhat speculative, especially in relation to God's feelings of sadness, but I think God does feel sadness right now over those who reject Him. And somehow I feel that He feel a certain amount of sadness forever over those who rejected Him. Even if we forget all the lost, I feel that God will never truly forget them. I could be wrong about that, but rejected love leads to sadness. Perhaps this is a part of the great sacrifice the Godhead made when they created humans (and any beings really). Being God, I think He is fully able to experience joy and sadness in a way that we cannot.
I disagree that sorrow is wrong because it's associated with sin. Maybe it's actually more of a sin to not sorrow over certain things.
I feel we will feel sadness when we see who is lost and what could have been. I don't think our tears will be wiped away right away. I think the 1,000 years are needed to work through the many questions that we will have and the losses we've experienced. That doesn't mean there won't be happiness. It will be a complex time.
Let me try to answer according to the order of your questions.
1. When you talk about pain, let's think that in heaven all beings have an incorruptible state, thus, physical pain could be impossible to feel. Now, the feeling of emotional pain, probably, once God is love and it's kind of hard to think that He Himself can ignore everything that is going on in our planet right now. Thus, if God is sensitive to our condition, other heavenly beings must also be.
2. I'd say that the 1,000 years would be the opportunity for the saved ones to be finally relieved from all emotional suffering. During this "long therapy session" the saved ones will be able to understand why the lost were lost by their own will, and that heaven wouldn't be a place where they could be happy.
3. If God says that a thousand years is the time period necessary for the saved ones to understand each case of the lost, it's because it is what's needed. Just the fact that the saved ones can meet Jesus and be transformed in a glimpse at His return will be enough to stop any physical or emotional pain to be felt. A perfect body won't probably feel pain, but if memory insists, there will be a thousand year chance to accept this pain-free state!
4. The feeling of pain and the shed of tears are probably connected, can we treat it as the answer of the latest (3)?
5. I'd say it is impossible for any creature to know exactly the mind of God, but this question seems to make sense only from an imperfect perspective. "Love drives away all fear". While the perfect love totally restore the mind, would perfect beings continue to worry about things (specially sad things) from the past?
I believe that even now, there is pain in heaven on account of the continual rejection of the truth of God, just as there was pain in heaven when Jesus was crucified.
It might be necessary for my limited mind that God explains what will happen to those who win the victory over this world, in the merits of His Son. It is great to know that heaven will be a place of joy and everlasting peace, even with the overcoming of the past and suffering life memories. To know what God holds for me in the future can be awesome! But that's not the most important thing! Heaven can be achieved today! Heaven is the time and place, when and where I can be with my Redeemer. Heaven can be now, for you and me. A future promise can be a helpful tool to the building of hope, but God wants to relieve me from my tragic and current physical state in the present! Heaven is the joy to live in the presence of Jesus!
Ephesians 3:12
Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.
Luke 12:8
I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels.
Psalm 68:3
But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy.
Without God, life is never fair and also not worth living. But with God, life is more than fair and is also worth all the living.
After contemplating the purpose of Salvation, I come up with only one answer: to once again establish Life! The original order of things needs to be established for Him to once again have a ‘caring/life-giving’ relationship with mankind. All who lived in this old earth are to experience the transition from the old to the new. He never wanted human kind to experience tears and sorrow, and death and dying.
Today’s lesson for me is far beyond doctrinal teaching because it touches the root of all efforts expanded on this old earth’s behalf – the Love of our Creator Father for His children. Yes, the ‘former things need to pass away’, but the new earth formed by Him will be established in the only way that life can exist in - God’s Will and Way – His Righteousness.
Rev.7:9-17 speaks to the multitudes assembled before the throne and before the Lamb. John asked the question ‘what are these which are arrayed in white robes and whence came they?’ The answer he received is comforting to all who experience trials and tribulations and are determined not to give up their faith; our Lord and Savior will remain our guiding Shepard forever.
Praise God, all who believe! Death has lost its sting! Now we know that death does not lead to the end of 'man made of flesh', but that we will be given a new existence and Heaven and New Jerusalem will be our new home.
1 Cor.15:54-55 - ”O Death, where is your sting? O hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
It is not John that asks the question here but rather it is one of the 24 elders around that throne that asks John that question. John just simply responds by telling the elder that he knew who they were and where they came from and also gives John the answer to that question. But I also find something very interesting in that entire Chapter 7 regarding the 144,000 and also the great numberless multitude: John first "hears" the number of the 144,000 but then he turns and "sees" a great numberless multitude. The elders' question and also answer about who these are is sort of vague as to whether it is about the 144,000 or about the great numberless multitude or maybe this is one and the same group of people?????
Hello Pete,
The same "double vision" is seen in Revelation 5:5-6. One of the elders tells John that the "Lion of Judah" can open the scroll, but when John looks to the throne of God, it is the Lamb that was slain that takes the scroll and opens it.
Richard